Better support for film and TV production in the shape of greater tax incentives would bring significant economic benefits and promote Scotland as a creative and cost-effective place for film-makers, Minister for Culture Michael Russell said today.
Speaking after a meeting with the Mayor of Toronto David Miller, where they discussed the City's success as a leading film and TV production destination, the Minister said:
"There are lessons to learn from Toronto's success in attracting production companies. Scotland's creativity already represents a key strand of our economic development and I am interested in the parallels that exist between Toronto and work taking place in our cities, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, which both look to encourage business and sell themselves as an appealing film shoot location.
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"Scotland already has a lot to offer film-makers. From dramatic mountain scenery to prehistoric sites, contemporary cityscapes with stunning architecture to the castles and mansion houses Scotland is famed for. On top of that we have talented, experienced crews and Scottish Screen provides a range of support for producers including its locations service. I hope to take what I learn from this visit back with me and use it to consider how we can develop Scotland's film and TV production potential."
Mr Russell will also meet today with Aileen Carroll, Minister for Culture of the Government of Ontario to explore the issue further and discuss the importance of creative industries to their respective economies, he said:
"I am looking forward to finding out about the range of powers that the Government of Ontario can use to attract film and TV production. As well as federal tax incentives, most provincial governments in Canada have introduced their own tax credits for film and TV production, and compete fiercely with one another to attract lucrative business. They also offer an array of funding for television production. With full powers in Scotland, we could use these kinds of levers to attract production companies and build a stronger future for our talented actors, screen writers, producers and all those in the industry."
The Ministers will also discuss the role of the Ontario Media Development Corporation in stimulating creative production, format innovation and new models of collaboration among various sectors of the cultural media industry.
Michael Russell added:
"The Ontario experience is highly relevant to Scotland, as we move forward with implementing the Creative Industries Framework Agreement in conjunction with Creative Scotland, the enterprise agencies and other partners. The strengths and specialisms of each agency will be combined and targeted to ensure tailored support for our creative industries."
Ontario's creative and entertainment cluster is the third largest in North America, by employment, after California and New York.
In 2008, 24 feature films (both domestic and foreign) were made in Ontario; in Scotland, 20 were made in the same period.